Senior home manager acquitted of some charges related to death of resident left in cold van
A manager at a Westmont senior-living residence was acquitted Monday of some of the charges he faces in connection with the death of a 96-year-old resident.
Regina Adamik died of cold exposure in February 2021 after she was left overnight in an unheated van in a parking lot outside Cordia Senior Residence in Westmont.
Navdeep Dhall of Bolingbrook, who was one of two Cordia employees charged, was indicted on four counts of criminal neglect of a resident by a long-term care facility.
But on Monday, DuPage County Judge Daniel Guerin acquitted Dhall on the two most serious charges, which alleged the neglect led her to death.
During the trial, Dhall's attorney argued that prosecutors failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Adamik's death could be tied to his inaction after he learned she was not inside Cordia. The time of Adamik's death was not determined, the lawyer said.
The judge agreed. He will rule on the lesser counts on Nov. 18.
Adamik lived in an apartment at Cordia. On Feb. 2, 2021, a Cordia van driver took her to a wound-care clinic in Downers Grove, where Adamik's daughter joined her.
After the appointment, the van drove Adamik back to Cordia, with the daughter following. The daughter entered the vestibule of the building to pick up her mother's mail but was not allowed further because of COVID-19 pandemic rules.
Adamik called her son around 3 p.m. after the appointment, asking why she was in the van. The son believed she was confused due to her dementia.
A nurse from the wound clinic called Dhall around 4 p.m. to say the clinic was discharging Adamik and would fax instructions for care to Cordia. Dhall provided the fax number. He left for the day around 4:30 p.m. - before the fax arrived.
Adamik's phone made about 10 incomplete calls around 6 p.m.
A nursing assistant texted Dhall around 10 p.m., telling him Adamik was not back from the clinic. Dhall responded, "OK," according to evidence presented in court.
Dhall's supervisor testified that Dhall's primary responsibility was to schedule and manage Cordia's certified nursing assistants; another manager oversaw transportation.
The next morning, workers noticed Adamik was missing. They found her on the floor of the van. The temperature had dropped to around 18 degrees overnight.
Rick Kayne, Dhall's attorney, argued other people were responsible for Adamik's death, most specifically the van driver, Bert Mongreig of Westmont. Mongreig has also been charged with neglect causing death. His next court date is Nov. 10.
Assistant State's Attorney Diane Michalak argued that because Dhall knew Adamik had the wound-care appointment in the afternoon, he should have done something when he got the call at night to determine where Adamik was.